Louisiana's economy, which was mired in recession until earlier this year, seems to have gained a foothold to take a step toward growth, said Dawn Starns, who represents about 4,000 businesses in the state.

"Our business owners and managers feel better about the economy in general and that's bearing out in better economic numbers like jobs and consumer spending," said Starns, who leads the National Federation of Independent Businesses in Louisiana.

Starns and the NFIB helped coordinate a business roundtable with Vice President Mike Pence and Louisiana business leaders in May at Cajun Industries in Port Allen just as the state's economy was beginning to improve.

NFIB's monthly Index of Small Business Optimism for all of the United States rose 1.6 percent in July to 105.2, a strong performance in which seven of 10 components in the index improved.

But the economic uptick in Louisiana remains modest, as illustrated in the most recent U.S. Commerce Department report showing 1 percent economic growth for Louisiana in the first quarter.

The state clawed its way out of that recession last spring and has continued to slowly percolate with 1 percent job growth in June.

Louisiana's chief economist Greg Albrecht first reported the recession in May 2016.

Louisiana's employment trough, as Albrecht calls it, bottomed out in August 2016 when the state had shed a total of 40,000 jobs from its peak.

Acadiana, Houma and Shreveport were hit the hardest because of the collapse in oil prices. Monroe and Alexandria were flat.

Louisiana's peak of employment was December 2014 when more than 2 million Louisianians were working.

"I think growth is coming because as oil prices bottomed out there is no more decline to impose on Louisiana," Albrecht said Tuesday. "Once that happens, we're dragged forward by the larger U.S. economy.

"As the year progresses I think we'll see more positive employment growth. Things are definitely better than they were last year."

But an improving economy creates other challenges for small businesses, Starns said.

"Businesses are hiring, but the hard part is finding qualified workers," she said. "

“Sixty percent of small business owners reported hiring or trying to hire in July,” said NFIB chief economist Bill Dunkelberg in a press release. “Within that group, 87 percent said they had a tough time finding qualified workers."

Business owners cite “lack of specific skills” as the main reason they can’t find qualified workers, according to the NFIB report. Other common reasons include: work history; social skills; wage expectations; and attitude.

Nineteen percent of small business owners listed lack of qualified workers as their No. 1 problem, second only to taxes.

The Louisiana Legislature rejected virtually all tax increases this year, which Starns said boosted her members' confidence.

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1